By Claire Reilly
High-end audio brand Klipsch is set to expand its range in the Australian market with representatives from the American brand launching a new line-up for retailers in Sydney last night.
The range features a number of new in-ear headphones — including earbuds designed for sporting use — as well as noise-cancelling over-ear headphones and larger speaker systems. Key buyers and retailers from Harvey Norman last night got a first glimpse at the range, which the brand bills as delivering “perfect sound” in a stylish form factor.
In Australia to launch the Klipsch line-up, Dave Westfall, regional vice president for Klipsch Asia Pacific, said the brand was driven by “the passion for live music”.
“We call ourselves the keepers of the sound,” he said, adding that all Klipsch audio products were defined by three key cornerstones: they are “engineering driven”, they deliver “high performance sound” and they work to replicate the “live music experience”.
Click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter
Follow Current.com.au on Twitter
A number of hero products will be arriving in retail stores in the coming months, including the portable Klipsch Music Center KMC 3, which offers 29 hours of music playback and the ability to charge a smartphone using battery power, as well as the larger-format Klipsch Music Center Stadium, an “audiophile-grade”, 2.1-channel music system that can be paired with a music device (such as a smartphone or iPad) using Apple AirPlay or Bluetooth wireless.
The Klipsch stadium is due to arrive in Australia in August, while the KMC 3 will be available in May with the retail price targeted at RRP $499. The range is currently due to be available in Harvey Norman and specialty audio stores, and will be distributed by Powermove Distribution.
Speaking about the Klipsch line-up at last night’s launch, Powermove’s audio sales and product manager, Shelden Walker, said the Australian distribution strategy for the brand was to showcase its quality performance.
“The strategy behind it is a strategy that has been strong internationally,” said Walker. “Klipsch are renowned for being popular in cinemas around the world, and they’re actually the largest speaker manufacturer of loudspeakers in the world. A lot of the Australian public doesn’t realise that.
“We want to bring that power and that range to the Australian market. The Klipsch brand has huge heritage in the US and huge power worldwide. As the distributor in the Australian market, it is our job to then deliver that to the consumer.
“It’s about quality, too. We’re not delivering cheap and cheerful products to the market, we’re delivering quality products that have performance.”
The Klipsch Music Center KMC 3.
The Klipsch Music Center Stadium.